VIEWS

5.4.2007.

On Fashionable Nonsense by Alan Sokal & Jean Bricmont.

This book looks at the real meanings of the postmodernist theories fashionable in certain intellectual circles in Europe, USA & Britain. It also mentions about their followers in the third world. The essence of this philosophy if it could be called so remains, that all things are relative and cultural constructs including that of science. One could get confused.

Alan Sokal have endeavoured to clarify and explain the real meaning off science and views based on scientific findings. He started as if he is an adherent of postmodernist views, writing an article in a magazine. This had its repercussions in both scientific & postmodernist circles. Later he wrote back saying that the article concerned was a hoax. He made theses that are more elaborate on the topic and the book is the result.

Alan has quoted extensively from writings of the giants in postmodernism and relativism. He questions their words and show how they are nonsense. Verbose and meaningless words are strewn around without any context as if they are profound. One major thought propagated by this tribe is that there are several shades in science i.e. western, eastern, southern and northern based on geographic zones. Thus, there is Indian science, African science so on. They also maintain that the truth found by science is always relative and therefore not true. Alan says that it is not correct characterise scientific findings as relative just because many of them are not conclusive or final. He says if anything is final there nothing to for science to know further. However, there are umpteen numbers of scientific truths that are practically final for example the flight of an aeroplane or a rocket to moon. They are not some cultural constructs. They could be duplicated whether you are a westerner or easterner or else. The relativism in science confine to phenomena still under investigation and observation. The new findings might affect may be certain established truths and compel the scientists to alter or change their earlier conclusions. At this stage, no one could claim that both earlier as well as the new are equally true.

We have in India followers of the postmodernism like Ashish Nandi, Vandana Shiva and others. In effect, they are reinforcing the obscurantist views that the India has some special status to maintain in science as against western one. All these needs refutation firmly by lovers of science.

Alan’s book needs re-reading for me to grasp the thoughts explained there.

END OF FAITH BY SAM HARRIS. 5.4.200

I completed reading this book a few days earlier. The book is mainly addressed to the Americans, majority of who are Christians. Sam makes a case for viewing the tenets of religions specifically Islam & Christianity from the modern and scientific findings and practices. When viewed from this area the untenability of the revealed religions becomes clear. Sam has quoted a number of crucial sayings from both bible as well as Koran the two gods given books. Today’s violence in sphere of inter and intra community dealings as well the widespread terrorist actions are motivated thru religious beliefs. His is an incisive criticism of all given religious faiths including that of Hinduism. However he leaves a wide berth to Buddhism though the happenings in Sri Lanka in no way assuring.

Sam cites chapter and verse from the texts and contrasts them with practices adopted by the concerned religious communities. Though all the religious leaders claim to be peaceful, they resort to prevarication when their texts are cited against such claims. The fact that a large part of the activists claims authority from their scriptures for the violence perpetrated by them. Their claim to be superior to others is authenticated from sacred texts. That itself is the source of conflict in the world, as could seen from happenings across nations i.e. Afghanistan, Iraq

I have already in the know of the critical views of atheists from writings published by the Indian Atheist Association. The late Joseph Idamarugu has written extensively on the historical context and development of Christianity from the first year AD onwards. He questioned the historicity of the life Jesus and Virgin Mary. He said that the story is a deliberate concoction on the part of the messiahs and followers. Similarly, Idamarugu has published very critical views on Koran as well as Gita, Vedic texts, etc. Thus, I feel more familiar with the topic dealt in Sam’s book. But Sam is scientific in his presentation than Idamarugu. Yes, Sam’s audience is different.

I would venture to say that the title would more appropriate if changed to End Results of Faith. In fact Sam sees a conflict ridden world heading to destroy itself thru assertions of various conflicting faiths warring to attain superiority thru power both political and armaments i.e. weapons of mass destruction. I expect more and more of this kind of writings from authorities on the subject with unassailable facts and reasoning since, humankind is the same everywhere. We need to be optimistic about the future

END OF FAITH BY SAM HARRIS. 5.4.200

I completed reading this book a few days earlier. The book is mainly addressed to the Americans, majority of who are Christians. Sam makes a case for viewing the tenets of religions specifically Islam & Christianity from the modern and scientific findings and practices. When viewed from this area the untenability of the revealed religions becomes clear. Sam has quoted a number of crucial sayings from both bible as well as Koran the two gods given books. Today’s violence in sphere of inter and intra community dealings as well the widespread terrorist actions are motivated thru religious beliefs. His is an incisive criticism of all given religious faiths including that of Hinduism. However he leaves a wide berth to Buddhism though the happenings in Sri Lanka in no way assuring.

Sam cites chapter and verse from the texts and contrasts them with practices adopted by the concerned religious communities. Though all the religious leaders claim to be peaceful, they resort to prevarication when their texts are cited against such claims. The fact that a large part of the activists claims authority from their scriptures for the violence perpetrated by them. Their claim to be superior to others is authenticated from sacred texts. That itself is the source of conflict in the world, as could seen from happenings across nations i.e. Afghanistan, Iraq

I have already in the know of the critical views of atheists from writings published by the Indian Atheist Association. The late Joseph Idamarugu has written extensively on the historical context and development of Christianity from the first year AD onwards. He questioned the historicity of the life Jesus and Virgin Mary. He said that the story is a deliberate concoction on the part of the messiahs and followers. Similarly, Idamarugu has published very critical views on Koran as well as Gita, Vedic texts, etc. Thus, I feel more familiar with the topic dealt in Sam’s book. But Sam is scientific in his presentation than Idamarugu. Yes, Sam’s audience is different.

I would venture to say that the title would more appropriate if changed to End Results of Faith. In fact Sam sees a conflict ridden world heading to destroy itself thru assertions of various conflicting faiths warring to attain superiority thru power both political and armaments i.e. weapons of mass destruction. I expect more and more of this kind of writings from authorities on the subject with unassailable facts and reasoning since, humankind is the same everywhere. We need to be optimistic about the future

THE ASSASSIN’S SONG. By G.V.Vassanji

This is a novel mainly to explain the happenings in the Gujarat after the Godhra incident. But the story is something like an epic narration. A Sufi visits and welcomed in the then Hindu raj of Gujarat. The only knowledge about the Sufi is that he came as a refugee from the northwest and not a Hindu. Though there were controversies, the Sufi was able to convince the king of his sincerity, compassion and tolerance. When the Sufi was no more his remains were interned in a place which became a place of worship and solace to many devotees of all faiths. The place was under the keep of a family the head of which was again a revered one. There were communal riots even when the Sufi was alive. The present protagonist was not a willing heir to the family shrine. He defies his family to go abroad and study abroad in US. At some time, the communal passion comes on top and vitiates the peaceful atmosphere in the mixed community.

The poison of communal feelings created an identity crisis among the followers of the Sufi. Who are they Hindus or Muslims? Politics come in front and influence the choice.

FILMING A Love Story.

By Tabish Khair

This is a novel of about 400 pages long. Unlike many others the author used a format of filming a story. The narrator is supposed to be researching on the history and development of Hindi cinema in Bombay. He introduces one syayam sevak ruminating on the pre-partition and post partition riots in India and Pakistan. He is filled with hate of the father of the nation Mahatma and spits venom and abuses on him for standing up against the violent fanatics on both sides. He finds the Mahatma coming in the way of the revenge seeking mobs and wanted him to be dead but at a Muslim hand. This could inflame the feelings of all the Hindu population and there will be no stopping until the entire Muslim population is exiled or massacred. Then there will be Hindu Raj and any secular pretensions will be out. This sevak comes at the beginning of all the reels i.e chapters in the novel.

The story starts with the bioscopewala Harihar resigning from his job in a Post Office and taking up his long wished plan to become rich and famous thru cinema. He teams with one young prostitute who was the mother of his son and willingly joins him in his business. They tour the countryside with their touring cinema to earn enough to change the business but at no time they were able to spare enough. Luckily they come to a haveli of a rich landlord. Their fate changes with active help of the younger lord and the lady of the haveli. The two teamed to form a film studio in outskirts of Bombay leaving the son of Harihar with the lady. Hari his supposed wife Durga and the young Rajkunwar establish their business in Bombay and start making films. They assemble necessary men and materials at a place belonging to the landlord family.

The story ends with the destruction by fire of the studio in the outskirts of Bombay by fanatical communalist elements along with the films and occupants. The organiser of this arson and destruction did not get his due recognition for the ‘heroic’ act of his and ruminates at the powers who control the show.

There is an angle based on the narrator’s interview with a script writer living abroad somewhat resembling Sadat Hassan Manto. Some of the episodes are supposed to be from those long interviews. But Manto was not abroad as I recollect from my FSU (Friends of Soviet Union) days.

The story goes back and forth encompassing two generations.

1. 5. 2007

EVERY WOMAN KNOWS A SECRET

by Rosie Thomas. A Novel.

Title seems to say that of a riddle to be answered or a puzzle to be solved in the course of the progress in the story or at its end. Both were misleading. There are several women i.e. Jesse, Lizzy, Beth, Sadie, Joyce etc and none except Jesse keeps a secret that comes out in the middle of the story itself. Finally it was no secret.

In a blurb the book was introduced as the love story of an older woman for a much younger boy, though the boy was not that deserving. Jesse, a middle aged mother of a boy of nineteen had the misfortune of losing him in a fatal accident. The boy named Danny was a self centred egoist and adventurer. His friend Rob is a little older they team together in many occasions. Their closeness was not known to the mother or her daughter. It happens that the boys were almost dead drunk in a pub where they spot 2 or 3 girls and they drive to the place of one of the girl. Danny in his urge tries to force on the girl when other girls shout out and neighbours calls the police. Before the police reached the spot the elder boy drags the younger to the van and drives fast. At one point the van meets a barrier and crashed throwing out the younger from his seat causing his death. The story starts from this point.

By turn of circumstances the mother feels a soft corner to the elder and in the process of helping being helped. Jesse was a divorcee but we are not sure whether that was due to just incompatibility, infidelity or cruelty or else. At later stages the situation gets recollected thru Jess and her husband Ian still there doesn’t mention of actual happenings. On the other hand the mutual behaviour of the daughter and father shows the mutual affinity between them and also the dead son. There was no hint of a secret owned by Jess but much later. So it could not be cause for the divorce. Then we have to believe the author herself as an authority.

In the story the main characters are Jess her dead son Danny and his friend Rob. Rob is a little elder to Danny. Jess comes to know of Rob only after the fatal accident that took the life of her son. Everyone is sure that the accident was caused by the drunken driving of Rob. None of them had any idea that Danny equally to be blamed for the situation. The repeated appearance of Rob at the hospital and at the funeral and then at home of Danny’s mother. At no place author hints of any bodily attraction between Rob and Jesse but circumstances slowly goes to a climax when Jesse allows Rob to stay overnight in her home. They could be attracted by other than love or sex but no. The encounter ends in mutual desire and demands. Rob was about to tap the door of Jesse’s bedroom. He did not. So the elder woman does the tapping and enters Rob’s bedroom. Still it is not necessary or predictable. They seek each other touching and feeling their younger bodies. Jesse experiences a sexual union unprecedented in her past. At this juncture she remembers about meeting Tonio twenty year back when she was that much young and wanted an experience, a satisfactory sex. The strong attraction between the two might be because of the prolonged abstinence from the time of her divorce. Secondly. Almost virgin state of the boy Rob. Do we accept this as love between them? No the progress of story confirms it. She willingly or otherwise separates from the boy, not a sign of love. Or the other way round the boy just takes the opportunity to be nice to the bereaved mother and fulfils a long felt need for intense sex that the lady never experienced or experienced only with Tonio in Italy years past. This is not alluded at any moment before the daughter spies on her mother’s secrets.

I think that the author is averse to love between elder woman and younger boy of her son’s age. Does this seem unnatural? Not to this writer. There are examples of older men cavorting young girls without anyone taking serious objection then why if the situation is reverse? The author could have developed a story based on real love between the older and the young. Sex is only secondary and supportive of the theme.

In the book Rosie Thomas make laboured narrations to prolong the narrative. There are some peripheral characters in the story but they have not contributed to the theme and conclusion. They are just there. The author failed to bring the social need of extra characters introduced by her in the story. Without Lizz, her husband and child the story could still be interesting. Similarly the daughter Beth did not contribute anything to clarify the character of Jesse her mother. The furtive sexual escapades of Beth and Sam did not benefit the story and they also could be dispensed with.

The essence of the story could found in the 50 pages between pages 135 and 185 where both Jesse and Rob meet try to understand each other. Did they know that they are in love with out being acquainted? Though the attraction is mutual, was sex inevitable? Not exactly. But the author seems to think that love expresses itself thru sexual act. Intense and prolonged sexual act means intense and prolonged love. The sex is delicately dealt with. As I maintain the essence of their relationship could not be different even if there were no other characters or episodes added. Even the death of her son in tragic circumstances does not make much difference if Jesse was in real love with her son’s friend. Only established morality comes in their way. Love is subtle and profound and do not depend on the age, sex, status or any other variable. From this point of view Rosie Thomas promised more but failed to deliver. Let us conclude this view.